IIM Eligibility Cut Off vs IIM Call Cut Off - What's the Difference

When you prepare for the CAT exam aiming for an IIM, it is important to understand the difference between IIM eligibility cutoff and IIM call cutoff. The eligibility cutoff is the minimum score needed to apply for admission, while the call cutoff is the score you must exceed to get an interview invite. Generally, the eligibility cutoff is lower to allow more candidates into the admission process. For example, in top IIMs like Ahmedabad, the eligibility cutoff is around 80 percentile, but to receive a call for an interview, you usually need to score above 99 percentile. Similarly, IIM Bangalore and Calcutta require around 85-90 percentile to be eligible, but final call cutoffs tend to be near 99-100 percentile. The CAT 2025 exam will take place on November 30, 2025, with CAT 2025 results expected by early January 2026. This timeline marks the beginning of the IIM shortlisting and selection process. Being clear about these cutoffs can help you plan your preparation and set realistic goals for admission.​

IIM Eligibility Cutoff vs Call Cutoff

Every IIM sets two different cut-offs, eligibility and call cut-offs. The eligibility cut-off is fixed by the institute, while the call cut-off varies each year depending on the number and quality of applicants. As applications increase annually across IIMs, call cut-offs often rise, reflecting the competitive nature of the admission process. To understand this better, take a look at the table below:

Also Read: Compare IIM Lucknow vs IIM Indore: Which is Better?

IIM Eligibility Cutoff 2026

The IIM Eligibility cut-off is the minimum CAT score a candidate must have to be eligible to apply for the IIM selection criteria 2026 . The IIM eligibility cutoff is released in the official admission policy of individual IIMs and can be different for each institute. This cutoff is released before the declaration of CAT results, and clearing this cutoff does not guarantee that a candidate will be called for further rounds of admissions at IIMs.

IIMs release the cutoffs as percentile scores required by a candidate in each section and the overall percentile required to be eligible for admission. Further, the eligibility cutoff is different for each category of candidates. As an example, here is a table providing the detailed eligibility cutoff of IIM Lucknow for PGP 2026 admissions.

IIM Call Cutoff 2025

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IIM Call cut off, on the other hand, is the actual minimum CAT percentile that a candidate must have to be shortlisted for the admission rounds at IIMs. IIM Call Cut Off is actually the percentile rank of the lowest position holder in the list of candidates selected for the admission process of an IIM. There is no official call cut-off for the IIMs. Each institute releases its individual merit list and cut-off of candidates who are called for the final rounds of admission to the institute. The call cut-off is also released section-wise and overall CAT percentile, and is different for each category of the candidate.

IIM Eligibility Cut Off vs Call Cut Off: Reason Behind the Difference

As can be seen from the table above, it is clear that there is a vast difference between the eligibility cut-off and call cut-off of various IIMs. This difference exists because there is a difference between calculating each of the two cutoffs released by IIMs. IIM eligibility cut off specifies the minimum score that the institute will accept for calling a candidate to the WAT / PI round. However, the IIM Call Cutoff is only released when the institutes start shortlisting the candidates from the top of the merit list.

IIMs receive applications from thousands of candidates, but they do not call everybody for the interview. IIMs only shortlist around 3 times the number of seats available in their course. Hence, if an IIM has a sanctioned intake of 500, it will shortlist 1500 students for the WAT / PI stage. To shortlist the candidates, IIMs create a merit list. Only the candidates who have applied for the IIM through the CAT application form and cleared the IIM eligibility cut-off are considered in the merit list. Out of these candidates, IIMs will select the top 1500 as per their CAT scores. Candidates with higher scores will be given preference in admissions.

Top IIMs such as IIM A, IIM B and IIM C can shortlist candidates ranking in the top 1 or 2 percentiles of CAT, i.e. candidates with a  98+ percentile score. Hence, their call cut-off lies in that bracket only, even though their eligibility cut-off is much lower. New IIMs such as IIM Bodh Gaya, Kashipur, etc. are not preferred by the top-rankers, and hence their last selected candidate holds a much lower rank, which is usually around 92 to 94 percentile. It is important to note that if IIMs never shortlist a candidate with a lower rank than their eligibility cut-off. At the same time, having a higher rank than the eligibility cutoff does not guarantee admission to any IIM.

Also Read : IIM Placements 2025

Factors Affecting IIM Call Cutoff 2026

When it comes to IIM admissions, two terms often create confusion: the eligibility cutoff and the call cutoff. The eligibility cutoff is fixed by each IIM before the admission cycle and remains constant for the year. However, the call cutoff is decided only after the CAT 2025 results are declared and IIMs shortlist candidates for the WAT and PI rounds.

The final call cutoff varies every year, depending on several factors such as:

• The total number of candidates who apply and appear for CAT.
• The seat intake capacity of each IIM’s PGP program.
• The overall performance trend of test-takers.

Getting into an IIM goes beyond meeting the cutoff. Shortlisting is based on a comprehensive evaluation of your academic record, professional experience, resume quality, and interpersonal skills.

Also Read: List of Courses Offered at IIMs

IIM Admissions 2026 on CAT 2025 Percentile

Every IIM aspirant must be aware of the fact that each IIM announces its CAT cutoff 2025 percentile score. In the IIM Ahmedabad selection criteria 2025 , the institute declared that it did not increase the CAT cutoff from the 80 percentile. This is expected to be the case in 2025 as well. However, every CAT aspirant knows that it is just not possible to receive a call from IIM Ahmedabad with an 80 percentile score in CAT, even though a candidate has cleared the eligibility criteria. This is because the actual cutoff for MBA admissions at IIM Ahmedabad is much higher than that. In fact, a 99+ percentile score is recommended for anybody aspiring for admission at the institute. There is a huge difference between the CAT eligibility cutoff released by IIMs and the actual cutoffs based on which candidates are invited for admission.

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